There are ever increasing demands for electrical penetration assemblies which can be reliably mounted to provide electrical access from one area into a second area wherein atmospheric gas isolation between the respective areas is essential. A specific application for such assemblies exists in a nuclear field wherein the requirements exist for transmitting the electrical signals from a radiation environment through a containment wall to a control room for monitoring and recording. In this application there are very stringent requirements placed on the electrical penetration assemblies so as to minimize the possibility of radiation leaking into the environment occupied by personnel operating the facility.
Traditional penetration assemblies have been constructed through the use of adhesive coating applied to carefully treated metal penetration elements for sealing within resin castings typically consisting of epoxy and plastic compositions. These traditional techniques have not met the stringent leak rate specifications imposed on facilities housing nuclear reactors.